


Let Us

by captainvonchan



Category: King Falls AM (Podcast)
Genre: Coda: Episode 68, Crying, Fix-It, Found Family, Friendship, spoilers through episode 68
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-03-19 16:44:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13708521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainvonchan/pseuds/captainvonchan
Summary: Ben isn't actually the only person Sammy has left.





	Let Us

**Author's Note:**

> So this is un'beta'd, the first fic I've ever written in this fandom AND the first fic I have ever posted ever all in one.
> 
> This is entirely a fic written to work through the extreme feelz I got from listening to episode 68.
> 
> This picks up directly after the end of Episode 68 and assumes that what we the audience are hearing in this show is what is being broadcast out to the people of King Falls.

Sammy Stevens storms out of the radio station tears in his eyes, shoulders hunched hiding from the pleas coming from behind him. Coming from his best friend. From his brother. But Sammy couldn’t. He just can’t anymore. He is tired, he is scared, he has been hurting for longer than he can remember and he is an absolute coward. He is running from the only person left in this world that he loves and he is a damned coward.

Sammy knows that Ben would do anything for him. He knows that Ben could do the impossible. But he also knows that Ben would kill himself trying to do what he thought he could to help Sammy. He knew that Ben would be devastated when he failed to find… when he failed. Sammy knew these as facts. Sammy knew that he couldn’t… no wouldn’t let that happen.

Sammy was going to go home, cry himself to sleep, go to work tomorrow and tell Ben in no uncertain terms that he would not be taking on another “one man takes on the world” project, he would not be taking up where Sammy had already failed. Then he would leave this town and pray that the damage he has already caused is something that this little town can move on from quickly. 

Sammy scoffed to himself. This little town can handle quite a lot. Shotgun Sammy is not really going to leave a dent in the battle scars this town has already survived. 

Pulling out his keys Sammy finally looks up from the gravel under his shoes just to freeze in his tracks. In front of him, between him and his motorcycle is a large pick up truck, a smaller sedan and two people who had just obviously turned away from each other to look his way.

“Hey there, good buddy,” Troy says softly.

“Sammy,” Emily whispers.

“What… what are you guys doing here? Is this… is this about Frickard? Oh god, Emily....” Sammy starts panicking. “That fucking frog bastard…” Sammy takes Emily’s hands in his and squeezes them tight. “I am so, so sorry Emily. We should have hung up on him before he had the chance to do that to you. We should have…”

“Sammy, Sammy… that’s…. that’s not why… he has nothing to do…” Emily closes her eyes and takes a breath. “Sammy we’re here for you. To talk to you.”

“Me? What…”

“Gosh we… we hate to be the one to tell you this, Sammy. But… um…” Troy sheepishly scratches the back of his neck, obviously trying desperately to find the right words. He looks to Emily pleading for help.

“Sammy, after,” she pauses trying to get the next word out, “Greg went off the air. After he said… such horrible things to you. The… umm… the broadcast kept going.”

Sammy steps back, horrified. “It what?” He starts trembling, looking back and forth at the people in front of him replaying over all that was said in the past twenty minutes. _This can’t be happening. I can’t do this._

“It seems the equipment is a bit more robust than Benny thought.” Emily gives a very small sheepish smile, looking a Sammy as one would a frightened rabbit.

“Sammy, buddy. We wish…”

“I can’t…. I can’t do this. I…” Sammy looks around wildly, looking for an exit. How best to get to his bike so he can run away and never come back. To never have to face the friends he has been lying to for years. To face that they know what a fraud he is. 

Sammy starts to walk around Emily’s car muttering to himself, cursing himself for ever coming here. For ever thinking he could do something about… 

A small hand wraps around Sammy’s wrist and holds tighter than one would expect a hand of that size could manage. _What am I thinking this is Emily fucking Potter. The badass of King Falls._ His eyes fall to the hand and he desperately tries to will it away. Hopes that this is all just another freaky thing of King fucking Falls and that this is not actually happening to him.

“Sammy. You have been there through, just so much of what I’ve gone through. Please. _Please_ let me…”

“Please let you what? Let someone who’s already been through hell. Let one of the busiest people in town, someone who already has enough on their plate trying to take down the goddamn _System_ try to comfort a fake, lying failure of a human being.”

“Hey now! Stop that crazy talk right there mister.” Troy pipes up, walking to stand in Sammy’s line of sight.

“And you! You have your wife, and getting your job back and… damnit.” Sammy’s shoulders slump and the tall man seems to collapse in on himself. “I can’t do this. I… please. Please don’t do this. Ben already…”

“Sammy, I know it’s not something anyone wants to talk about. But Ben was right you need to talk about this now. You spent this whole time hiding this from us. From all of us. Ben is not the only person in King Falls that cares for you Sammy Stevens.” Emily tries to catch his eye smiling warmly yet sternly at him. 

“You don’t have to rehash anything, buddy. But let us say our peace at least.” Troy carefully steps closer. “We heard and our first instinct was to pull on our britches and rush up here to find you before you tried vamoosing on us! You’re our friend Sammy.” At this Sammy gives a brief scathing bark of a laugh. “Don’t you laugh at me, mister. I know you don’t believe it, but believe you me, I sure do! You are a friend who has been hiding all this hurt and, and sadness and I am plum mad that you would think that we wouldn’t want to do our damnedest to fix that.”

“It’s not…” Sammy whispers.

“Sammy. You have been there backing me through my return, my investigations and have always tried your best to protect me while letting me be my own woman. I could not have done any of this without you.” Emily says. 

“Emily Potter is stopped by nothing. I haven’t done…”

Emily interrupts. “Yes you have. You’ve been supporting me this whole time. Been my friend when I didn’t know who to trust anymore. Let me have my turn.” She pleads. “Let me try to find J-”

“Don’t.” Sammy looks up sternly. “Don’t say… Just… He’s gone. I failed and it’s been too long and I’m not dragging anyone else down this hole with me.” His eyes dart back and forth searching the faces of the two people in front of him. “I can’t believe you’re even still talking to me. I… I’m a fake. I’ve been lying to you. For years!”

“So what? Ben lied to you about his notebook for how long and he’s still your brother isn’t he?” Troy smiles warmly.

“That’s not the same at all and you know it.” Sammy glares back.

“More than anything Sammy we’re hurt knowing that you’ve been silently suffering alone for so long. When we could have done something about it sooner.” Emily squeezes the wrist the Sammy hadn’t even noticed that she was still holding.

“What makes you think that the town that brought back Ms. Potter here couldn’t find that man o’ yours? Ben can do the impossible. And has shown it. Ms. Potter can do the impossible. And has shown it. And I… well, there’s nothing that stops me from doing what I think’s right and you know it.” He says puffing out his chest as if to say “come at me.”

“I wouldn’t say impossible…” Emily mutters. 

“You don’t understand, Troy. It’s over. There’s nothing to be done.” Exhaustion and defeat are written all over Sammy’s face.

“Let us be the judge of that, good buddy.” Troy clamps a firm hand over his right shoulder. “And let us be there for you. You’re not alone. Let your friends shoulder some of this with you.”

“‘A burden shared is a burden halved.’” Emily quotes. 

“T.A. Webb. Not bad there Emily.” Everyone turns to see Ben standing a few feet behind them by the door to the station. Ben looks as if he had been crying for a while and had vaguely tried to pull himself together before heading out to his car holding a piece of the equipment that Sammy had broken earlier. Despite his blood shot eyes Ben is looking pleased. 

“How… how long have you been standing there?” Sammy asks, afraid that yet again an emotional trainwreck of a conversation has been eavesdropped on.

“Long enough to figure out why Troy and Emily came up the mountain to be standing in our parking lot. Good to see you guys here.” Ben smiles at Troy and Emily looking incredibly grateful.

“God damn it all. Now I’m surrounded.” Sammy brings a hand to his face to massage his temples.

“Yeah dude. Surrounded by love. You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Ben’s tone is very intentionally light but seems to be trying to test out the waters.

“What he said there, Sammy.” Troy chimes in. “You’re family now and we don’t let go of that all easy like. We fight for it.”

“And that right there is the problem that no one seems to be hearing me say.” Sammy says in frustration. “That’s what I’m afraid of. You will all fight on and on and you’re going to get hurt or worse, you’ll be dragged off too. And I can’t handle that. I couldn’t live with knowing that because I didn’t have what it took to fight, that you tried for me and paid for it.”

“Dude, I, of all people, know how scary this stuff can be. Like first hand. But with all of us working together… Troy’s right. We’re unstoppable.” Ben says moving closer to the group.

“If we pool our resources. Perhaps with Lily Wright too. I don’t think there’s anything we can’t figure out.” Emily says seeming to already be starting on a plan of action. 

“I... “ Sammy looks at the three people in front of him. Searching their eyes desperate to try to figure out if this is real or not. If the hope that had finally run out actually hadn’t and was being offered in abundance from these three glorious beings in front of him. Three people who have been through so much, yet are stepping up to bat to do even more to help… him. 

“Why?” Sammy whispers tears welling back up in his eyes.

“Already told you, bud. You’re my brother. I love you and you deserve more than this. You deserve to be happy and we’re here to make that happen.” Ben slowly moves in close to Sammy, Emily and Troy letting him slip in to slide his arms around Sammy.

As Ben’s arms wrap around him, Sammy officially breaks. Sobs wrack his body as the last of his walls are torn down and Ben is there to catch him. He feels a small hand rubbing gentle circles at the small of his back and knows Emily is still there, watching over them. Another much larger and more calloused hand rest on the back of his neck squeezing away some of the tension. And Sammy knows now, that though he has shattered and nothing will be the same, he may actually be alright after this. That this coward was gifted support in the form of three incredible people.

Sammy doesn’t know how long they stand in the parking lot like this, but the sun has progressed on it’s journey over the horizon. He has cried himself out and there’s nothing left in the tanks. He is exhausted but this is a different kind of exhaustion than he’s lived with for more than three years. This is the exhaustion that ends one druggery and starts a new path. This one already looking lighter.

“There’s nothing I can do to change your minds is there?” Sammy sniffles but is starting to see the rays of hope off in the distance.

“‘Don’t stop me now.’” Ben says a shit-eating grin crossing his face.

Sammy laughs for the first time in what feels like ages. “Are you really quoting Queen at a time like this?”

“I figured it was a reference that even an old man like you would get.” Ben continues. Troy and Emily trying not to bring attention to their own laughter.

“Really. With the old man jokes?” Things were starting to feel almost normal. This is how he survived until now. Moments like these stupid jokes and playful needling.

“I don’t know about you folks, but I am starving.” Troy happily drawls. “How ‘bout we head on down to my place, wake up Loretta and I’ll make y’all the Krieghauser Waffle Tower.”

“That sounds lovely. What do you think Sammy?” Emily asks looking at Sammy hopefully.

Taking a good look at the people in front of him, hope, courage and strength pouring off of them in waves and washing him away. Sammy smiles, genuinely. “Yeah. That sounds great, Troy.”

“Alright! Waffle time!” Ben exclaims. “Let’s roll out.” Ben pats Sammy’s back and gives him a warm smile. “Meet you down there, bud?”

“Yeah. I’ll… I’ll be right behind you.” Sammy nods and Ben starts walking to his car waving to Emily and Troy.

“I’ll give Loretta a call to let her know we’re coming.” Troy lands a hand heavily on Sammy’s shoulder and heads towards his truck pulling his phone out as he goes.

“Hey Sammy.” Emily waits until he makes eye contact with her. “You’re not alone. You weren’t before but now we know and now we can be with you in this. We’ve got this.” She smiles confidently as if she truly believes that there’s nothing this group can’t do.

Sammy slowly nods. “Thank you, Emily.” 

“I’ll, uh, see you at the Krieghausers then.” She nods back and turns to go to her car.

“Ah HA!” They both turn to see Ben emerge from the backseat of his car and hold something triumphantly over his head. “I knew I had another one of these lying around. Sammy how about we start a new notebook, this time as a team from the start, co-captain?” Ben tosses the object at Sammy who barely manages to catch it.

It’s a carbon copy of the infamous Emily notebook, only blank. Sammy runs a hand over the cover and closes his eyes. It’s a new day and maybe lightning can strike twice in this crazy town. Maybe there’s hope. Maybe not, but at least he isn’t alone anymore.

“Yeah, co-captain. Now let’s get those waffles.”


End file.
